ABSTRACT
Objective To study the effect of lateral supramalleolar perforator flap for skin and soft tissue defect of lateral malleolus.Methods From January 2012 to December 2015,36 patients with soft tissue burn of ankle in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Cixi were selected as study objects.The average wound area was 4 ～ 10cm.The average flap size was 5 ～ 13cm.There were 17 cases received skin flap of behind perforator of the lateral malleolus.There were 19 cases received skin flap of front perforator of the lateral malleolus.The effect of repair was observed.Results All flaps survived in 36 cases after operation.There were 7 cases of 2.6cm of blood stasis,and necrosis occurred in 2 cases which healed after dressing change.Transplantation of skin flap and the original skin had good adhesion,skin color and texture was similar to the surrounding skin during the follow-up period of 6 to 12 months.The survival time and walk time of the repair of anterior perforator flap were (2.20 ± 0.70) weeks,(4.70 ± 1.10) weeks,respectively,which were longer than those of the lateral retromalleolar perforator flap [(2.10 ± 0.80) weeks,(4.20 ± 1.10) weeks],but the differences were not statistically significant (all P ＞ 0.05).The American orthopaedic foot and ankle society(AOFAS) score of the anterior perforator flap was significantly lower than that of the lateral retromalleolar perforator flap,the difference was statistically significant[(77.47 ± 3.41) points vs.(80.12 ± 4.12) points,t =2.110,P ＜ 0.05].Conclusion Lateral supramalleolar perforator flap has significant effect for skin and soft tissue defect of lateral malleolus.The operation is simple,the success rate is high,it is worth to be popularized in clinical.